A wireless media gateway is a network node that connects to wireless networks and converts data on media connections from packet format to circuit-switched format and vice-versa. Each call that occurs over a wireless network may require certain resources of the media gateway. Examples of media gateway resources that are needed by the wireless network include access lines, codecs, transcoder free operation (TrFO) resources, tandem free operation (TFO) resources, and digital signal processing (DSP) resources. In order to connect the media gateway to one or more wireless networks, the proper amount of resources must be provisioned or reserved for each network.
One conventional way to provision wireless media gateway resources for wireless networks is to allocate, to each connection to the wireless network, the maximum amount of resources that would be used if the maximum amount of calls that each connection is capable of handling are simultaneously active. For example, media gateways are often connected to wireless networks using ATM permanent virtual circuit connections (VCCs). A particular permanent virtual circuit may be capable of handling 1,000 simultaneous calls. Thus, one way to make sure that the media gateway is capable of adequately servicing the permanent virtual circuit is to allocate to the permanent virtual circuit, in advance of any calls, the media gateway resources that would be required by 1,000 simultaneous calls. However, allocating resources in this manner is inefficient because media gateway resources are underutilized. In addition, allocating resources in this manner limits the number of ATM permanent virtual circuits that can be connected to the media gateway.
Accordingly, in light of these difficulties, there exists a need for improved methods and systems for allocating wireless media gateway resources.